10 Effective Baby Formulas for Colic That Will Get You Swooning – Updated for 2018!

It’s hard to really understand how amazing baby formulas for colic really are, unless you have a fussy screaming baby. Let me attempt to explain it with one simple word:

Fabio.

Fabio is the shirtless man with the Pantene hair that showed up on 99% of all the cheap romance novels published in the 80’s and 90’s. Yes, it was his well-waxed torso that graced the covers of top literature selections named Gentle Rogue, Savage Thunder, Golden Surrender… You get the idea.

He was the white knight…the daring swashbuckler, swooping down to save his lady love with the dress she forgot to button up. Teehee! How did THAT happen?

Let me tell you, if you’ve never experienced the helpless, excruciating, stress of listening to your baby screaming (read: SCREAMING) for hours, you may not understand how incredibly surreal a few minutes of quiet can be.

Anything that gives you and your baby a few precious minutes of “maybe happy” becomes a glowing nimbus ofI-can’t-live-WITHOUT-YOU!

A baby colic formula can give parents that ecstatic euphoria. (I said can, not will. We won’t know until we try!)

Yes, my friend with the dark eye-circles, your Fabio has arrived.

The Not-So-Romantic Thing
About Colic…

Is that no one is really 100% sure why causes colic. Technically, colic refers to any healthy, well-fed infant who cries more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks. It usually starts around 2 weeks (if baby was full term) and can last 3 to 4 months.

Three to four MONTHS.

Which is why you’re reading this. It’s my job to make introductions, perhaps to the new love of your life: Your Fabio Baby Formulas for Colic.

You don’t have to live like this.

Most doctors believe colic is related to the digestive system in some way, so it makes sense that we should take a long hard look at what you’re baby is eating.

If you were breastfeeding, I’d suggest you start cutting out dairy products right away…but since this article specifically is for baby formulas for colic, we’ll skip all that and head straight to the bottle.

Baby Formulas for Colic:
Adding Prebiotics

Fortunately, the first romantic player on this path to help your baby overcome his colic is usually the cheapest. It’s a regular formula…only with something special added in.

Let me back up a second.

Your baby’s digestive system has bacteria called probiotics living inside it. Picture them as living in a miniature van, down by the river of your colon. (I realize that’s a tad, well, gross, but stick with me.)

These bacteria campgrounds are a good thing! In fact, 70% of our Immune System is happening inside these little Good Guy Campgrounds. Like all living organisms, though, they need to eat. What do Probiotics eat?

Prebiotics. (You totally knew that, didn’t you?!)

Yep. Those Probiotic Hippies all sit around their little vans, fishing and roasting Prebiotics for dinner.

Prebiotics are carbohydrates that your body can’t digest. Since they’re going to be (literally) flushed down the toilet anyway, the Probiotic Hippies put that waste to good use.

Two Baby Colic Formulas with Prebiotics

So this begs the question: Where do babies find the prebiotics those Probiotics are fishing for? They partially find them in the form ofHuman Milk Oligosaccharides, or HMOs. (Not to be confused with your health care plan.)

Those HMOs are delivered via breastmilk and are one of the “wonder ingredients” that make breastmilk so unique. They are one of the reasons breastfed babies usually have stronger immune systems.

But you’re not breastfeeding! Is your baby just screwed? Hooray for science, because you’ve got OPTIONS. Both Good Start SootheandSimilac Pro-Advance contain HMOs in their formula. A good option if you’re watching pennies!

Baby Formulas for Colic:
Going Hypoallergenic

There’s a lively debate about whether or not colic is caused by tiny digestive systems struggling to break down the proteins in cow’s milk formula. In those discussions, sometimes a child can be helped by moving away from regular formula and moving into the land of the hypoallergenic.

Picture the regular proteins in a standard formula (like those I just mentioned) like a long strand of pearls. Hypoallergenics formulas break that necklace down into smaller parts which are easier for your baby’s tummy to digest.

Three Baby Colic Formulas With Short Protein Pearl Strands

These formulas take the long protein strands and break them down to smaller, bracelet sizes. They are more expensive than the prebiotic-added formulas above, so you may want to start with those before moving up the pay-chain.

HiPP HA—the only organic hypoallergenic formula on the market. If the box makes you nervous (it’s in German), pop over to my article here to learn how to translate and use this excellent organic option from overseas.

Four Baby Colic Formulas with Individual Protein Pearls

If you’ve tried those hypoallergenic formulas and nothing seems to be improving, it may be wise to talk to your doctor about switching to a hyper-hypoallergenic baby formula for colic.

Baby Formulas for Colic:
Go Goat

There have been numerous studies that have linked cow’s milk to chronic constipation (here, here, and here for starters) because of the dense curd that is created in the tummy once the milk is mixed with the natural digestive juices in the stomach.

Goat’s milk formula, on the other hand, creates a very soft curd in the stomach. If regular cow’s milk formula formed a baseball in the tummy, goat’s milk formulas would create a wiffleball. In other words, lots of holes for digestive enzymes to slide in and get to work.

Kabrita (the only FDA-approved brand of goat’s milk formula available) has a formula that is suitable for babies who have started eating solid foods. (It’s labeled” toddler.”) Chances are, though, your colicky baby is too young for solid foods. In your case, talk to your health care provider. Some doctors have been known to approve the formula for younger babies.

A newborn/infant goat’s milk formula is currently in production and is expected to be approved by the FDA and released for sale in early 2019. Visit their website to see if it’s ready.

Ready to be Swept Away?

These screams aren’t a referendum of your parenting skills. They aren’t being shouted in hate. You, more than other new parents, are getting a really REALLY big dose of “parenting is super hard”. The GOOD news, though, is that you will be better prepared in the future, because you’ve already been through the fire before.

Get through today. That’s it and that’s enough.

Hopefully, one of these baby formulas for colic will help that task feel a lot easier. Hang in there and keep trying these baby colic formulas, leaving a week in between each transition to really look for change. Oh, and if you do decide to switch formulas, be sure to follow these directions. They will help prevent any extra tummy disruptions.

There! Did you see that!

A horse rears up on the top of the hill, the silhouette of a man’s perfectly toned torso outlined against the rainbow sunsetting sky. It’s him. Your hero. The man who is going to bring peace and calm back to your living room.

We ♥ Citations

Heather is the Chief Encouragement Officer here at MightyMoms.club and has been writing and encouraging parents online since 2007. She’s a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach, has been a featured parenting expert writer on blogs like DaveRamsey.com, SimpleKids.net, Cafe Mom, and others. If it’s 2am and you’re desperate to read SOMETHING, check out her deepest darkest secrets, including why she really shouldn’t be allowed to blog.

101 Ways to Be an Awesome Mom offers up all those extra little ideas, tips, secrets veteran mamas have gathered over the years. Because sometimes we all need a little boost! Yours FREE to keep or share. *highfive*